Burned on Food on Gas Stove-top

Help. I was cooking rice pudding on my gas stove and it boiled over. I finished cooking it and it left a huge black spot on my stove. My stove does not have grates for some reason, I didn't even realize that it was supposed to until I started Googling cleaning methods. I have tried scraping it away, but I am afraid I will scratch it up. It is only a year old. But there is a thick black caked on mess

I had this happen with me and it was a serious mess. I used everything and finally found that Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser worked the best. It seriously took care of all of it with no hard scrubbing or abrasions on the stove top.

Sprinkle with Calgon water softener & a little dish soap, then cover with a hot dripping wet cloth & leave overnight if possible or at least a couple of hours, if it doesn't all wash right off finish with a "magicpad" this method is all I ever use for this kind of thing & I have never been disappointed yet! please try it.

Lots of really good cleaning advice here but I can't help but wonder who sold you the stove without grates on it and how you couldn't have ever noticed other stoves have them? Doesn't sound too safe to me to not have them and especially since it's a gas stove :-o Please purchase some grates!

Spread a layer of liquid automatic dishwasher detergent on it and leave it over night or for several hours. Put a damp towel over it to keep it from drying. That stuff dissolves everything. You just have to leave it longer on some things.